Whole of prison approach to vaccination: co-development of information materials for people living in prison

Abstract Enhancing vaccination literacy is pivotal in addressing hesitancy, especially among incarcerated populations who may lack regular access to health information, thus ensuring health equity. Supported by the European Union, the RISE-Vac project endeavours to bolster vaccine literacy, accessibility, and uptake within European prisons. To discern vaccination knowledge gaps and preferences for information dissemination, consultations were conducted with incarcerated individuals in the United Kingdom (via the Prisoner Policy Network), France, and Moldova. A total of 344 responses were garnered: 224 from the UK, 70 from France, and 50 from Moldova. In addition a focus group was conducted in the UK. The key themes that emerged were common across the 3 participating countries: views of vaccination, prior knowledge about vaccines, areas of appetite for learning, availability of reliable information, and preferred mechanism for information sharing. Participants were particularly interested in learning about the effectiveness, side effects, and manufacturing of vaccines. Their invaluable input informed the creation of educational materials, notably a brochure slated for pilot testing in European prisons and a video clip. Notably, individuals with lived prison experience were actively engaged at every phase of this initiative, ensuring its relevance and efficacy.